A doctor from Colorado who was kidnapped by Taliban thugs during a humanitarian mission in eastern Afghanistan was rescued over the weekend by US Special Forces, the White House said yesterday.

But the raid to free Dr. Dilip Joseph, a medical advisor with the Colorado Springs-based charity Morning Star Development, sadly cost the life of one member of the elite team that got him out, according to President Obama.

“Yesterday, our special operators in Afghanistan rescued an American citizen in a mission that was characteristic of the extraordinary courage, skill and patriotism that our troops show every day,” he said in a statement. “Tragically, we lost one of our special operators in this effort.”

Joseph was rescued early yesterday after intelligence showed he was in danger of death or injury, officials said.

“This was a combined operation of US and Afghan forces,” said 1st Lt. Joseph Alonso, a spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan. “Information was collected through multiple intelligence sources, which allowed Afghan and coalition forces to identify the location of Joseph and the criminals responsible for his captivity.”

He had been taken about 50 miles from the Pakistan border. At least six of his captors, believed to be Taliban fighters, were killed in the raid, and two suspected ringleaders were captured.

Joseph, 39, was approximately an hour’s drive east of Kabul last Wednesday with two Afghan colleagues overseeing a medical clinic project when they were abducted, said Lars Peterson, executive director of Morning Star Development.

The two Afghan nationals were released on Saturday after long negotiations, but the abductors held onto Joseph, according to Peterson.

Eleven hours later, the US and Afghan forces launched their raid.

Gen. John Allen, the top commander of US forces in Afghanistan, said the joint-force planned, rehearsed and successfully conducted the operation.

“Thanks to them, Dr. Joseph will soon be rejoining his family and loved ones,” Allen said.

Kidnap for ransom plots are common throughout the region by criminal gangs and the Taliban.

“Morning Star Development does state categorically that we paid no ransom, money or other consideration to the captors or anyone else to secure the release of these hostages,” Peterson said.

Joseph is due to return to the US in a few days and will be reunited with his family.